The Storm Before the Peace
by Rehnna Kale
Summary: Rehnna Kale's Knighting Ceremony takes place on the morning of Order 66. When the clones and Darth Vader destroy all she knows, she is forced to flee with a small group of her fellow Jedi. Living in the undercity of Coruscant, she is forced to make decisions that will affect not only herself, but those she fled with. OC characters used. Actual characters come in later.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

I paced in front of the Jedi Council chambers, anxiously waiting for my Knighting Ceremony to commence. My master, Aria Lestri, stood behind me. Her eyes were closed, masking her chocolate brown eyes. Her hands were folded neatly in front of her. She took deep breathes, appearing to be at peace. I watched her closely, wondering how she could be so calm during one of the most important days of my life.

"It is not my ceremony, padawan," the blue-skinned Twi'lek spoke, breaking the silence between us. I stopped pacing and stood in front of her. "I have seen many students through this ceremony. The only difference this time is you will be the final apprentice I train." She said, not even opening her eyes. I knew I was to be her last; she had trained three others before me. Besides, Master Lestri will be retiring from battle soon; she was in her early seventies, ready to step down from the front lines and lead from the Temple.

"You will be a great mentor for the younglings," I told her. "They will learn much from you." She opened one eye and looked me over. Satisfied with my appearance, she returned to her position, closing her eye and taking another deep breath.

"Thank you," she replied. The hall became silent again; no other Jedi was around. We waited in the vacant area for another few minutes before the door opened. My master opened her eyes and stepped forward.

"Master Lestri, we are prepared to begin the trial," Master Windu said. I followed her inside, standing as straight as I could in an attempt to look confident. I could feel all twelve Council members' gazes focused on me.

I stood in the center of the large room with my soon-to-be former master on my right, next to the door. I spared a glance at her before Master Yoda spoke.

"Padawan Kale," he began. "Feel your training has been completed, do you?" I gathered my courage and spoke as clearly as I could.

"Yes master," I replied, looking straight into the old grandmaster's eyes. He nodded in approval.

"Feel you have learned all there is to learn from Master Lestri, do you?" He asked the second question.

"Yes master," I spoke again. I knew there was one final question he would ask before the ceremony began.

"The responsibilities of a Jedi Knight, know what they are, do you?" He asked.

"Yes master," I replied, just as clear as the last two. Master Yoda seemed pleased.

"Then become a knight, you shall." He declared. I exhaled, not even aware I was holding my breath in the first place.

"Padawan Kale," Master Windu said. I turned my attention to the man sitting on Master Yoda's left. "Please kneel in front of the council." I did as he commanded and lowered my head slightly; my padawan braid hung next to my right eye while the rest of my black hair was tied back. I heard the entire council stand up and form a small circle around me.

"You have proven yourself worthy to be a Jedi Knight. You have passed your trials as well as this council's expectations of you. By this council and by all in the Jedi Order, I bestow unto you the title of 'Jedi Knight'." He announced. I heard soft footsteps and saw the familiar, long brown skirt of my master in front of me.

"Padawan, I am very proud of you. You have accomplished more than I could have ever asked and have become more than I could ever hope you would be. I have been honored to be your master." She told me. I smiled slightly as I heard the _snap-hiss_ of an activating lightsaber. Moments later, I felt the heat of the green blade hover dangerously close to my face as my former master burned off the pieces of hair I had placed into my padawan braid. I watched as it fell to the ground next to me. Slowly, I looked up at Aria as she placed her now deactivated weapon back on her belt.

"Rise, Knight Kale," Master Yoda commanded. "And join your fellow Jedi." I did as he said and stood up. The council took a couple steps back as I did so, giving me some room.

"Knight Kale," Master Kenobi spoke up. He was the only council member not physically present; it was only his hologram transmitting from Utapau. I turned to my left to face him. "Allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your advancement. You truly deserve it." I bowed my head.

"Thank you, Master Kenobi," I replied.

"May the Force be with you," Master Windu said. "This council is dismissed." I stood aside and allowed the council members to file out before me. When they left, I noticed my master standing where she was before, smiling. I followed her out of the room.

"I'm very proud of you," she told me once I reached her side. "Out of all the padawans I've trained I can honestly say you were my favorite." I chuckled.

"A Jedi shouldn't show favoritism, Master," I reminded her. But I was grateful for the praise, all the same.

Master Lestri shook her head. "I remember telling you the same when you were fifteen." She reflected. I nodded.

"I remember," I told her. "I was trying to resolve an issue between two of my friends." I thought back to that time, six years ago.

"Yes, and when you asked me 'isn't having friends favoritism?' I told you 'No, that's simply stating who your allies are'." She said, chuckling. "That was not a good response, now that I think about it."

"You did confuse me," I admitted. She only shrugged. We continued walking for a few minutes. We didn't have anywhere to go in particular, though.

"Master?" I asked, breaking the silence. She kept her gaze forward, but I knew she was listening. "What happens now that I'm a knight?" She glanced at me.

"Well," she started. "There's a couple of things that could happen. You could take on a new padawan; I have heard good things particularly from the wolf clan. Or you could 'team up' with some of your friends and ask for a mission from the council." She explained. I thought for a moment.

"Would I have to request and audience with the council for that?" I asked. She shook her head.

"No, you would just need to approach one of the council members, give them the names of you and your group members, and they'll do the rest when they get the chance." She told me. I nodded.

"And what about requesting a padawan?" I asked, my green eyes focused on my former master.

"You would have to speak with Master Yoda for that." She responded. "He will decide whether or not you are ready. If he deems you so, then he will ask clan masters of all different age groups to send their best student. You will be able to choose from there." She explained the second process. I nodded, already seeing the flaw.

"What about the other students?" I asked. Master Lestri paused for a moment.

"They stay in the clan until they are chosen for either apprenticeship or the Agri-Corps. Surely you should remember all this from your days as a youngling?" She inquired. I nodded.

"Yes," I replied. "I was just checking to see if anything has changed." I told her. She nodded.

"Alright then," she said after a few moments of silence. "Do you have an idea of what you would like to do?" She asked. I thought for a moment and nodded.

"I don't think I'm ready for a padawan just yet. Would you excuse me so I may speak with some of my friends?" I asked. Aria smiled and nodded.

"Go," she replied. "I'll be in our quarters when you are finished." I nodded and walked away, saying a quick hello to any Jedi I passed; they weren't near the council chambers, but there are always some in the main hall. I made my way down to the cafeteria. I was certain I'd find at least one or two of my fellow age-mates there.

To my surprise, the normally busy cafeteria was empty; not even a cleaning droid was in sight. _Perhaps the room of a thousand fountains,_ I turned around and began walking farther down the hallway, taking a right at the end. While I was walking, I checked one of the chronos on the wall. The younglings' classes would be ending soon. If there were any classes in the room of a thousand fountains, they would have cleared out before I arrived.

Sure enough, there was one class of about ten younglings leaving the large room as I reached the door. I nodded a quick hello to the clan master and smiled at the younglings as they passed. Once they had all left, I was able to enter.

_Wait,_ I thought to myself. _I'm not looking for my friends, am I? Surely they wouldn't be in here with a youngling class._ I sighed. _Maybe I'm just looking for some alone time. I should meditate._ I walked through the door and up to the largest fountain.

It was almost like a waterfall. The water only came down on one side since it was pressed against the wall. It had a waterfall-like theme to it as well. There were large pieces of gray stone firmly tightened next to the flowing water. There were some green vines hanging from the stone as well. Some flowers were placed randomly on the vines and stone.

I knelt down in front of it and lowered my head. I focused on my breathing as I searched for my connection to the Force. Once I had found it, I grasped it and refused to let go. I allowed it to flow freely through me, thinking of the flowing water as it did so. _Maybe that's why this is the best place to meditate,_ I thought quickly. _Focus, Rehnna,_ I scolded myself. Brushing all thoughts aside, I continued to envision the Force as the water, flowing through me and giving life. I wasn't sure how long I stayed like this before I was interrupted.

I felt another presence nearby. Not in the Jedi Temple, but just outside. I sensed its darkness and thirst for revenge. But instead of breaking my concentration and running off to warn the rest of the Jedi, I continued searching this new presence. It was guarded well; one would have to be extraordinarily focused in order to sense them. I could feel their power in the Force, much stronger and better connected than my own. This was not something I could handle without assistance. But this person has made no threatening moves, though I had a feeling he would. I was certain it was a man. He had to be very close to my age; maybe in his early twenties. _What are you doing here? _I asked myself. I sensed him move farther away. He was backing away from the Temple grounds. I held onto his signature until I could no longer tell him apart from the rest of Coruscant's population. _He's gone, we're safe, _I told myself. But I was too alert now to meditate. Sighing, I stood up and turned to leave the room. But before I could even make it to the door, I heard screaming coming from the hallway.

I ran as fast as I could out of the room. But I wasn't prepared for what I saw. Clone troopers had surrounded a group of younglings; guns raised and ready to shoot. Without thinking, I charged forward and used the Force to pull the clones away from the children.

"What is going on here?!" I demanded. The clones scrambled to their feet and raised their guns at me. I ignited my lightsaber, but the clones were unfazed by the blue-bladed weapon.

"Order sixty six," one of them responded. "Eliminate all Jedi," they began firing their blasters at me. I deflected every bolt as the younglings behind me screamed in terror. Eventually, the last clone was hit by a deflected shot. He fell to the ground, dead. I turned to face the younglings behind me. There were three of them: one was a Twi'lek boy, around the age of seven. He had light orange skin and pale brown eyes. The second was a girl around the age of four. She was a human with blonde hair and hazel eyes. The third was a Mon Calamari boy around the age of ten. He had light red skin and blue eyes.

"Are you alright?" I asked them. The two boys nodded but the girl was clutching her arm. I knelt down on one knee and gently pulled her arm away. She had a small blaster wound on her lower right arm, close to her wrist. "I can fix that," I told her. "But not right now. Can you carry her?" I asked the Mon Calamari. He nodded and walked over to her. I helped him pick her up. She placed her arms around his neck, still holding the injured one. "Follow me, I'll get you out." We started down the long hallway.

For the most part, the east wing was fairly quiet. We only spotted two more clones and I was able to sneak up on them before they had the chance to comprehend what was going on. I had told the younglings to hide behind a nearby pillar. I walked quietly behind the first one without my lightsaber ignited and placed my arm around his neck. The second one must've been a rookie because he pulled out his blaster and shot his comrade by accident. I then ignited my lightsaber and deflected the second shot into his chest. Once it was clear, I looked back and motioned for the younglings to move up by me.

We continued down the hallway, trying to find an exit that hasn't been destroyed. All of the emergency exits we had come upon have a thick sheet of metal melted over the exit. The windows weren't an option; the fall was too great for younglings.

The real problems started when we reached the main hallway. Hearing the blaster shots, I had told the younglings to hide behind a pillar again.

"I'll be right back," I promised. I wasn't too worried about them; I knew there weren't any clones in that hallway and the three of them had training sabers if they needed to deflect the shots.

I wasn't prepared for what I saw in the main hall. Bodies of my colleagues were scattered all around, some not even fully intact. There was an awfully strong stench of blood in the air as well as staining the floors. I heard screams of the younglings and orders of the masters. A fellow Jedi approaching me snapped me out of my trance of fear and disgust.

"Focus, Knight!" He took my shoulders and shook me. His comrade protected us from the clones as this Jedi brought my attention back to the situation at hand. "Are you alright?" I nodded. "Then come on!" He took off to help his comrade. Shaking my head, I ignited me lightsaber and joined them.

The bolts were deflected with ease; all of us Jedi formed a line and defended ourselves, each other, and our home.

The clones realized we weren't going to be beaten this way and called for reinforcements. More troops came up behind us and began firing, taking down many Jedi and forcing the rest of us to scramble. They brought in flame throwers and torched whatever they could, including many people. The same Jedi that had helped me before grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the cross-fire. We retreated to one of the quieter hallways.

"Are you hurt?" He asked. I shook my head.

"No, I'm fine," I told him. "Are you?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Just a small wound," he told me. "I'll be fine." I was finally able to see him clearly. He was a Zabrak, old enough to be a master. But he didn't have any markings on his face. The only thing that was Zabrak-like about him was the horns on his head. _He must be a Zabrak-human hybrid of some sort,_ I thought. He had short brown that was now scorched in some places.

Finally, his comrade found us. He was a human, with dark blonde hair and brown eyes. He looked old enough to be a master as well.

"We're safe for now," he reported. The Zabrak-human nodded.

"Good," he replied. "I don't believe we've met before," he commented, turning back to me. "I'm Adin Fer and this is my friend Eoin Josk," he introduced. I nodded.

"Rehnna Kale," I replied with my name. It was then I realized I had to find the younglings. "I had three younglings with me. I need to go get them." The two older Jedi nodded and I lead them back to where I had hidden the children.

Thankfully, they were still there, but there was a dead clone in front of them and the Twi'lek boy had his training saber drawn.

"Master Jedi!" He called, relieved.

"Are you three alright?" We seemed to be asking that question a lot.

"We're fine," the Mon Calamari boy spoke up. I could see the fear in their wide eyes. _Force, they shouldn't have to go through this,_ I thought_. They're just kids._ I felt a sudden flare of anger inside of me, but I extinguished it before I allowed it to grow.

"We need to leave, now," Eoin said. I nodded.

"Let's go," I told the younglings. The Twi'lek boy deactivated his lightsaber and the three children followed us out of the hallway.

We wandered for what seemed like hours. The two younger boys were clearly exhausted, though they didn't say so. I was about to erupt with frustration when Adin's voice called out.

"Over here!" He said. "I think I found a way out!" I was thankful; the smoke was starting to settle in my lungs. I was finding it harder to breathe by the minute.

Sure enough, Adin had found a way out. It was a small crawl space, just large enough for us to squeeze through. The Mon Calamari boy set the small human girl on her feet and they moved closer to the exit.

"You first, Rehnna," Eoin said. "We'll send the younglings after you." I nodded and knelt down in front of the space. It was made entirely of metal and it was pitch black. Slowly, I crawled inside. I heard shuffling behind me before I heard more hands and feet hitting the metal. I continued forward, thankful there weren't any places where I'd have to decide whether to get left or right. It was all one path.

Finally, I reached the end of the tunnel. I switched up the lock of the cover and pushed it out. I was greeted by fresh air and the sound of speeders in the sky. We had made it out.

I moved out of the way and stood up, stretching my sore back and legs. I waited for the others to get out. The Mon Calamari boy was next followed by the human girl and Twi'lek boy. Eoin and Adin were the last ones out.

"Well," Adin said. "We made it." I nodded.

"Yeah," I said. "We did."

"Where do we go now?" The Mon Calamari boy asked. I looked at the two Jedi Masters. Adin sighed.

"For now, the lower city," he said. I picked up the human girl as Eoin did the same with the Twi'lek boy. Adin held his hand out for the Mon Calamari and he took it. As we walked away and blended into the crowd, I spared one last look at the ruined Temple. _Well,_ I thought, defeated. _I guess this is the end of the Jedi Order._


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

**That Night...**

I woke up on a rank mattress; it was one of the few pieces of furniture we found in an abandoned apartment. The place had been left unattended for so long that the walls have turned to a pale green from mold. The window in my "bedroom" was completely shattered, making the room about as warm as it was outside. And it was mid-autumn on Coruscant. I pulled my cloak tighter around me and laid back down. The only other thing in the room besides the mattress was a damaged chrono. Pieces of the screen were missing, so I could only see the minutes, not the hours. Right now it read :37. I assumed it was still the middle of the night; the moonlight was casting shadows in my room, making the night seem more eerie than it already was. I curled up on my side and tried to get back to sleep. I stayed like this for what seemed like an hour, but to no avail. Sleep still eluded me, despite my attempts.

I sighed and looked at the chrono again; :21. It was almost like it was mocking me. Time was passing and I still couldn't get to sleep. _Guess I should get up and walk around a bit, then. _Stretching out, I slowly raised myself into a sitting position.

I felt better than I did earlier. I think the smoke and ashes finally left my system; I was breathing without any issues now. I was still sore, but that would pass with time. I stood up and wandered out into the kitchen.

When we had first came down to the lowercity, I was fearing we'd end up sleeping on the streets, like so many others we passed. But the Mon Calamari boy- who I later learned was called Sinacco- ran ahead and into this old apartment. I don't even know why he felt he needed to go ahead of us; it's not like we were headed anywhere else. I guess it was just a child-like thing that would pass with age.

I was skeptical at first. This place looked like it could cave in at any moment. But we had nowhere else to go, so we settled down and found some food to eat.

It wasn't much; just some leftovers and a couple packaged ration bars. Adin and Eoin had gone dumpster-diving and also found an almost empty roll of gauze. It was probably thrown out because there wasn't enough left for an adult or teenager. But it was the perfect amount for a four year old girl. Thankfully, the apartment's water was never shut off. So I was able to clean the little girl's wound. In the process, I had also learned that her name was Insontis and she really wanted to be a fighter pilot.

Once Insontis's wound was tended to, we gave her and the Twi'lek boy, Qessal, the two ration bars. The rest of us picked at some old leftovers from a broken-down diner. Apparently the owner saw Eoin and ran after him, but Adin managed to stay hidden and collect more food.

After our improvised meal, the three younglings were sent off to bed. There were two mattresses. Originally, they were both going to the younglings, but Sinacco insisted that I take one.

"The three of us can all fit on one." He had told me. "And if it weren't for you, we wouldn't be here right now." Giving up trying to refuse him, I kindly accepted and then offered it to Adin and Eoin, who both refused.

"We're going to switch off on keeping watch tonight," Adin had said. "Giving us the mattress would only make us not want to do our job." So, in the end, I had the mattress.

There were a total of five rooms in the apartment. There was a medium sized kitchen with black countertops and a small wooden table with four chairs. Eoin and Adin had stood at our meal. There was a fridge that was slightly taller than Insontis and two shattered glass cabinets. The younglings were not allowed on that side of the kitchen. There were three bedrooms; one smaller and two larger. I took the smallest bedroom and I was the farthest from the front door. I shared a crumbling wall with the three younglings, who had the largest room. Eoin and Adin took the second largest room, which was also closest to the door. While they were on their guard duty, they sat leaning up against the outside of their bedroom door, facing the front door. There was one small bathroom with a toilet and a sink; we had no shower.

I grabbed a plastic cup, filled it with water, and sat down at the table. Taking a sip, I glanced around. Considering the fact that we were now refugees, we weren't in terrible condition. We had food, company, water, and a place to stay. That's the best anyone can really hope for at this point. Though I knew we needed to get off world. Perhaps I should speak with Adin and Eoin today. I thought to myself. If we were going to flee, we needed a plan. Whoever wants us dead isn't just going to spend all this time and effort trying to kill us only to have us get off-world because there was no security. I suspected there was already a blockade in place.

I sat in the kitchen, staring at my cup and reminiscing until Eoin walked out of his room. He was probably awake for his shift as guard (though why Adin wasn't out when I got up, I'm not sure). He spotted me and smiled.

"Can't sleep?" He asked, walking over and leaning on the back of a chair. I shook my head. "Mind if I join you?" I motioned for him to sit. He took the invitation and pulled back the chair he was leaning on.

"How are you feeling?" He asked me. I shrugged.

"About as good as I can be, given the circumstances." I replied, looking up at him. He chuckled.

"The Force does like to change things around, doesn't it?" He asked. I smiled.

"I guess so," I replied. "It's funny, twenty four hours ago the only thing I was worried about was my knighting ceremony. Now I'm worried about everything." I observed. Eoin leaned back in his chair.

"I thought you looked a little young to be a knight. How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?" He asked. I knew he meant no offense by it.

"Twenty one," I responded. He raised an eyebrow.

"Really? I didn't become a knight until I was twenty three. I have to congratulate you." He said. I chuckled.

"What about you?" I asked him. He looked up at me.

"Hmm?" He asked. "Oh yes, how old am I? Thirty," he told me. "Oh and uh, Adin is forty three. Don't tell him I told you," he said. I smiled.

"Don't worry, I won't," I promised. "You know we need to get off this planet, right?" I asked, changing the subject. He nodded.

"Yeah, Adin and I were talking about that." Eoin said. "And I think I know where we should go." I raised and eyebrow.

"And where would that be?" I asked.

"Naboo," he replied. I shook my head.

"Naboo may be controlled by whoever is leading the rogue troops." I informed him.

"Do you know who's leading them?" He asked me. I shook my head. "Think for a minute: who has enough power to send out an order like that? And to have every clone obey?" He asked. I thought for a moment.

"Chancellor Palpatine," my eyes widened as I came to that conclusion. Eoin nodded. "But how could he?! We had served him, defended him for so long. How could he turn on us?" I asked. Eoin shrugged.

"That, I'm not sure about. But I'm certain he has help; Sith help," he said.

"What makes you think that it's the Sith in particular. Why not the Separatists as a whole?" I asked.

"The Separatists prefer using more 'diplomatic solutions' if you will. All their attacks were ordered by Count Dooku, who is a Sith. And the Separatists don't have the resources to attack the Temple on their own. I don't know whether or not you noticed, but many of the Jedi struck down had lightsaber wounds, not blaster." He told me. "Count Dooku was killed by Knight Skywalker. General Grievous was on Utapau with Master Kenobi pursuing him."

"There was a third Sith!" I exclaimed. Eoin nodded.

"Yes, there was," he agreed. "And who do you think that third Sith is? Count Dooku's master or a hidden apprentice we know nothing about?" He asked. I thought for a moment.

"Master," I replied. "Dooku never took another apprentice after Ventress," I remembered. Eoin nodded again.

"And who do you think that master was?" He asked me. I was silent as I sifted through all of this information. I looked up at him, shocked.

"Chancellor Palpatine!" I slammed my hand on the table. "He must have been working both sides of the war to organize this!" I concluded. Eoin nodded.

"You're absolutely correct," he agreed. I thought back through yesterday.

"There was a man," I piped up. Eoin looked at me, perplexed.

"I sensed him while I was in the room of a thousand fountains. He was around my age and had a very strong connection to the Force. But he was shielding himself. I think the only reason I sensed him was because I was deep into meditation." I informed him. Eoin thought for a moment.

"A man in his early twenties with a strong connection to the Force..." He repeated to himself. All of a sudden, his eyes widened.

"Anakin Skywalker!" He exclaimed. I tilted my head.

"What about him?" I asked. Eoin took a deep breath.

"It's him, he's the traitor." He told me.

"How do you know there's a traitor in the first place?" I asked.

"Palpatine is the master. He used to have Dooku as the apprentice and he did all the dirty work. Dooku is dead. Anakin killed him. He has a close relationship with Palpatine. He is twenty four years old and is the strongest Force user we've ever heard of. Who else could it be?!" He asked me. My eyes widened in horror.

"Force," I placed my head in my hands. "How could we have been so blind?" I asked. Eoin shook his head.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But we need to warn the remaining Jedi." I nodded in agreement.

"But how?" I asked. Eoin gave me a sympathetic look.

"We are going back to the Jedi Temple first thing in the morning." He told me. "But for now, go get some sleep; we have along day ahead." I nodded and stood. He did the same as I walked over to the sink and poured the remaining water down the drain.

"Goodnight," Eoin said, leaning up against his bedroom door, armed crossed. I nodded.

"Goodnight," I replied. I walked back to my room and quietly shut the door behind me. Laying back down on my mattress, I though about what had been revealed tonight.

_I just can't believe it,_ I thought to myself. _Anakin always seemed like a good Jedi. Chancellor Palpatine, though a little too persuasive, seemed to have the best intentions. How did all of this happen so quickly? _I asked myself. But before I could answer that question, I had fallen asleep.

* * *

When I awoke again, my bedroom was lit better than it was during the night. Being in the undercity, we couldn't see the sun very well, but its rays still reached us. Though the moonlight has more of an effect, I believe.

I sat up and raised my arms above my head. Yawning, I stood up and made my way out into the kitchen.

Sinacco and Qessal were sitting across from each other at the table, chatting. Insontis was sitting diagonal from them, picking at the rotted food in front of her. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and pushed it into the center of the table. Adin was standing nearby and pushed the food back towards the little girl.

"Insontis," Adin started. "You need to eat; I know you're hungry." The four year old turned her head away from the table.

"No," she replied. Adin sighed as I walked over.

"Insontis, please," he pleaded. "This is all we have for now. Please eat it," Insontis shook her head. I decided it was time for me to take over.

"How are you going to grow up and be a strong Jedi if you don't eat?" I asked her. She looked up at me.

"I'm not eating that," she said, pointing at the food. Sinacco and Qessal sat quietly, eyes darting between us.

I only shook my head. "You're going to be very hungry later," I warned her. "And when you ask for food we'll say 'you should've eaten this morning'." She still didn't listen.

"I don't want it," she declared. I shrugged and picked up the food.

"Okay," I replied, placing it in the small fridge. "Then don't eat this morning." Insontis sat there defiantly as the boys resumed their conversation. Adin raised an eyebrow at me.

"Well," he said. "You certainly have a way with younglings." I smirked.

"I was just like her when I was little," I told him. "The clan masters did the same to me. It only took one time before I ate whatever they put in front of me." He chuckled.

"I could believe that," he said. "Eoin did the same."

"Speaking of Eoin," I said. "Where is he?" I asked.

"He went out to see if be could find any news on who may be alive." Adin said. "There's probably a list of wanted Jedi posted somewhere." I nodded.

"Did he tell you what we talked about last night?" I asked. The older Jedi nodded.

"Yes," he replied. "And I completely agree. We need to go back to the Temple and warn the other Jedi. If they see Anakin, they may approach him; most of them probably don't know he's a traitor." Adin informed me.

"What about Eoin's idea of hiding on Naboo?" I asked. Adin shook his head.

"It's a bad idea," he said. "That's Palpatine's home world; it is most likely already allied with him and his new powers." I nodded, figuring as much.

"So where do we go?" I asked. Adin shrugged.

"We'll figure that out once we contact the other Jedi," he decided. "While we're on that subject: what do you plan on doing with the younglings? We can't leave them here and the Temple is too dangerous." He said. I honestly never even thought about that. I thought for a minute.

"We'll have to take them with us," I started. "But perhaps we could have them hide in that tunnel we escaped through?" I offered. Adin nodded.

"That tunnel is tough to find..." He thought aloud. "And if we mask their Force signatures, no one will know they're there. Alright, sounds like a plan." I nodded.

"Good," I replied. "So when Eoin gets back, we should leave?" I asked. Adin nodded.

"Yes," he agreed. We stood in silence and observed the three children sitting at the table. Qessal and Sinacco were talking about star fighters and space travel while Insontis listened intently; it was her favorite topic, after all. Eventually, Eoin came through the door.

"Anything?" Adin asked as his partner walked into the kitchen. Eoin grabbed a cup and filled it with water. We all focused our attention on him, praying for any news. After he took a long sip of his drink, the younger master spoke.

"Shaak Ti, Master Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobi," he listed off three names.

"What about them?" Adin asked.

"They're all listed as missing," Eoin reported. "There were others, but those three need to be found first." He told us. Adin nodded.

"Master Yoda was in the Temple," Qessal spoke up. "My clan had a class with him yesterday morning." Had all of this just happened yesterday?

"So was Master Ti," Sinacco spoke up. "I saw her and her padawan sparring together in the training room." I nodded.

"Master Kenobi was on Utapau. He was chasing after General Grievous," I recalled. Adin nodded.

"I heard about that," he commented. "Now we really need to get to the Temple; we might be able to contact them." I nodded in agreement. Eoin poured the last of his water down the drain. And walked over to us.

"Alright," I spoke up. "Younglings," I called for their attention. Three large pairs of eyes rested on me. "When we get to the Temple, you three are going to hide in that tunnel we were in yesterday." They nodded, but I think only Sinacco knew why. "Stay there; we'll come get you before we leave." I promised.

"We should go," Eoin told us. I nodded and picked up Insontis. Eoin lifted Qessal into his arms. Adin motioned for Sinacco to follow him. We left the apartment, hoping to never return.

Eoin, Adin, and I all pulled up the hoods of our cloaks and told Insontis and Qessal to bury their faces; there wasn't much we could do about Sinacco. We kept to the shadows, sneaking around in the alleys and walking up against walls. None of us said a word, for fear of drawing attention to ourselves.

"Almost there," Adin said quietly. I could see a turbo-lift just a few yards away, but it was guarded by two clones.

"Wait here," Eoin commanded. He handed Qessal off to Adin and approached the clones. Thankfully, clones are weak-minded; they are easily convinced to let us pass onto the lift. We caught up with him and Adin handed Qessal back to his friend.

"So far, so good," Sinacco commented. I nodded.

"It'll be tougher when we get to the upper levels," Adin warned. "There are more people and hardly anywhere for us to hide. We'll be lucky to make it without someone alerting the troops." The lift door slid open, revealing the Coruscant skyline. The sounds of speeders made it nearly impossible to talk quietly and still be heard; we wouldn't be able to talk at all unless we wanted someone to overhear us.

I could see the Temple not too far off in the distance. The front right tower had fallen onto the the roof, creating a considerable amount of damage. The exterior walls were missing sever large pieces and the smoke was still rising into the air.

"Wow," I whispered. Adin and Eoin had the same expressions.

"Come on," Adin told us. We walked a little faster until we reached the steps leading up to the entrance. There were clone bodies strewn about the landing pad. _Someone else is already here, _I thought. We stepped over the dead troops and walked up the steps.

The inside was even worse than the outside. Pillars and statues were smashed and burned, pieces of stone were laying all across the main hall. Jedi and clones laid on the ground, many with their eyes still opened.

"Close your eyes," I whispered to Insontis. She nodded and buried her head farther into my shoulder, not daring to look up. We continued down the hallway until we reached the small metal tunnel that had lead us to freedom.

"Younglings," Adin said. "Stay here and wait for us to come get you." I placed Insontis on her feet and she followed Qessal into the crawl space. Sinacco followed close behind. I could still see them, though.

"Move back farther," I instructed. "We can still see you." They moved back until their small bodies were consumed by the shadows.

"Alright," Eoin said. "We should go check the security system, the holocron vault, and the communications center." He listed off three rooms.

"I'll go to the holocron vault," Adin volunteered.

"I've got the security system," I told them. They nodded and we went our separate ways for the time being.


	3. Chapter Two

**Okay, I'm not very happy with the length of this chapter, but content wise I'm content. Please leave a review on your way out! Thanks guys :)**

**Chapter Two**

I walked cautiously down the east wing of the Temple. So far, I hadn't come across any clones. But I stayed vigilant anyways, preparing for whatever may come at me. I had just turned the corner when I heard voices. I hid behind the wall and listened to what they were saying.  
"...Jedi are all gone," one voice said. I recognized it as a clone's. "Don't see why we need to stay," he said.  
"Emperor Palpatine's orders," a second clone replied. "He thinks some may come back to reverse the 'all clear' signal we sent out."  
"If anybody shows up, we shoot 'em," a third clone chimed in. I backed away quietly. Eoin has to override that signal, I thought. Once I was far enough away, I turned and ran in the other direction. Guess I'm taking the long way around, I decided.

* * *

I arrived in the surveillance room and I had the feeling that someone else had the same idea. There was another Jedi in here, I could sense the signature; it was filled with light. As far as I could sense, it was just the two of us in the room.  
"Hello?" I called out. I heard a tapping noise come from behind me. I whipped around and saw Master Yoda standing directly behind me.  
"Master Yoda!" I sighed in relief. He smiled.  
"Good to see you, it is," he greeted. "Master Kenobi, safe we are. Knight Kale, it is," I saw movement from my right. Master Obi-Wan Kenobi walked over to us.  
"Are you alright?" He asked me. I nodded.  
"Yes," I replied. I remembered what had become of Anakin. "Knight Skywalker-" I started. Master Kenobi held his hand up to stop me.  
"I know," he said. "I saw the holo recording in one of the cameras." He explained. I nodded.  
"I'm sorry," I told him. He flashed a small smile.  
"It's alright," he said. "I don't think there was anything you could've done." I nodded.  
"Leave, we should," Master Yoda cut in. "Before more clones arrive."  
"I came here with a group," I informed them. "Masters Fer and Josk, along with three younglings, are here as well." Obi-Wan nodded.  
"I'll get Master Josk and Fer," he volunteered. "Can you get the younglings?" He asked me. I nodded.  
"Go with Knight Kale, I will," Master Yoda said. "Meet by the council chambers, we will."  
"Be wary of the fallen tower," I told Master Kenobi. He nodded.  
"I will," he said. "Let's go," we took off, searching for the rest of my group.  
Master Yoda and I made it back to the younglings without any trouble. I knelt down in front of the crawl space.  
"Hey guys," I said. "It's me; you can come out now." I heard some movement from the tunnel and moved aside as the three younglings crawled out. They spotted Master Yoda and stood up straight.  
"Younglings," he addressed them. "Safe, the Temple is. Nothing to worry about, we have." They nodded.  
"We're going to the council chambers," I told them. "To wait for the masters." Master Yoda began walking in that direction and we followed. I didn't have to carry Insontis this time since she and Master Yoda were about the same size; and moved at the same pace.  
We were about halfway to the council chambers before I heard those clones again. Master Yoda heard them too and we stopped.  
"Knight Kale," Master Yoda said. "Take care of the clones, you can." I nodded and walked ahead of them, lightsaber in hand.  
The clones were standing in the middle of the ruined hallway. One was pacing while the other two stood nearby, talking. I walked up far enough so the one on patrol spotted me. He pointed his blaster at me only to have it split in half by a flash of blue. He charged at me and I used the Force to push him into the far wall. By now, the other two clones had their blasters drawn and aimed at me. I blocked the incoming bolts while moving forward. I was able to stab one in the chest and he fell to the floor. The other was hit by a deflected bolt and fell still next to his friend. The one I had pushed into the wall came at me from behind. I turned and cut his side. Deactivating my lightsaber, I called for the rest of the group that it was safe. We continued our walk to the council chambers.

* * *

The masters were already waiting for us in front of the council chambers.  
"There you are," Eoin said. "Any longer and we would have come looking for you." He told us.  
"Leave the Temple now, we should," Master Yoda said. Eoin leaned down and allowed the old Jedi grandmaster to climb onto his shoulder. Knowing we'd be moving much quicker, I picked up Insontis as Adin went to do the same with Qessal.  
"I'll scout ahead," Master Kenobi offered. He ran ahead of us, lightsaber activated.  
We made it out of the Temple without any issues; I believe part of that had to do with Master Kenobi. He was waiting for us at the top of the stairs.  
"Where do we go from here?" I asked. Master Yoda thought for a moment.  
"Into exile, the Jedi must go," he announced. We had all figured out that much.  
"Master Yoda," Master Kenobi piped up. "I must stop Anakin; he will tear the universe apart." He said.  
"And defeat him, you will," Master Yoda agreed. "But go alone, you will not." He said. "Senator Amidala, know about Skywalker does she?" He asked. Master Kenobi shook his head.  
"I haven't had the chance to tell her," he admitted.  
"Go," Master Yoda said. "Knight Kale, take with you," he motioned to me.  
"Alright," Master Kenobi agreed. "Follow me," he told me. I followed him down the steps. We began walking to Senator Amidala's apartment.

* * *

I did my best to keep up with the Jedi Master, but it was tougher for me to get through the crowd. I tripped a couple of times and had to grab his cloak to keep from falling. He looked back to make sure I was alright, but he didn't stop walking.  
Finally, we made it to the Senator's apartment building. I was able to wall next to Master Kenobi in the lobby of the luxurious complex. Only a senator would be able to afford to live here, I thought.  
"Hello," the receptionist said. She was a Twi'lek, with green skin and blue eyes. She looked to be in her late twenties. Master Kenobi and I had our cloaks covering our faces, so she didn't recognize us. "What can I do for you today?" She asked. I could sense her disdain with us; she didn't like the fact that our hoods were up. Master Kenobi nudged me. I stepped forward, knowing his voice would be recognized; mine wouldn't be.  
"We're looking for Senator Amidala," I told her. "We have information regarding a close friend of hers." She gave me a wary look, but pushed a button that would alert the senator.  
"She's in her apartment," the receptionist told me. "Top floor," I nodded and bowed slightly.  
"Thank you," I replied. Following Master Kenobi again, we took the turbo lift to the top floor. He pulled his hood back and I followed his example, knowing we were safe for the moment. I was a bit nervous; I had never met a senator, or any other person of importance besides the council, before.  
"Relax," Master Kenobi advised. "The senator isn't someone to be fearful of; she is one of the few politicians that is still decent." I nodded; I had heard good things about Senator Amidala, but that didn't make me any less nervous.  
The turbo lift door opened, revealing a protocol droid with gold plating.  
"Oh, thank the maker!" He exclaimed. "Master Kenobi, it's good to see you." He said. "And with another Jedi!" He noticed me. Master Kenobi held up a hand to silence the droid.  
"Hello threepio," he greeted the droid. "Is Senator Amidala here?" He asked.  
"Yes, of course," the droid replied. "She's just in her room. Please come in," he moved aside and allowed us to step inside the apartment. "Have a seat; I will notify the senator of your presence." The droid held out a hand to the white couch. I took a seat on one side while Master Kenobi sat towards the middle of the couch. We were only waiting for a moment before the senator appeared. Master Kenobi and I stood up. She grasped his arms and gave him a quick kiss on each cheek; a common Nabooian greeting.  
"Obi-Wan," she said, relieved. "It's good to see you alive and well."  
"Thank you, Senator," he replied. "This is Jedi Knight Rehnna Kale; she survived the attack on the temple and saved three younglings." He introduced me. The senator smiled and held out her hand. I shook her outstretched hand and shook it.  
"It's nice to meet you," she said. I released her hand.  
"Likewise, Senator," I replied. We all sat back down on the couch.  
"Senator," Master Kenobi started. "Has Anakin come to visit you since the attack?" He asked. Senator Amidala nodded.  
"Yes," she replied. "He was just here yesterday." She remembered.  
"Did anything seem...odd about him? Did he say anything that worried you?" Master Kenobi asked. Senator Amidala gave us a confused look.  
"Not really, no," she said. "He said he was going somewhere though."  
"Did he say where?" Master Kenobi asked the next question. She tilted her head.  
"He wasn't sent on this mission." She asked him. Master Kenobi shook his head.  
"Not by the Jedi," he confirmed. "Padme," he used her first name, lowering his voice. "Anakin has turned to the dark side." He finally told her. She was silent for a moment.  
"I don't believe you," she said, on the verge of tears.  
"I...saw a holo recording of him...killing younglings," Master Kenobi admitted. Senator put a hand over her mouth.  
"No," she said. "Not Anakin; he couldn't..." she trailed off. Obi-Wan nodded.  
"I'm afraid so," he said. "I need to know where he went." Senator Amidala shook her head.  
"You're going to kill him, aren't you?" She asked, terrified for her friend's life. Master Kenobi fell silent. I decided now was the time to speak up.  
"We don't want to kill him," I insisted. "If we can, we'll bring him back alive and see if we can help him. Maybe it's not too late," I said. She looked up at me and smiled slightly as Master Kenobi gave me a surprised look.  
"That is a much better idea," Senator Amidala contemplated. "Alright, here's the deal," she started. "I'll tell you where he is, but I'm coming with you." She offered her deal. Master Kenobi shook his head.  
"No," he said. "It's too dangerous." Senator Amidala thought for a moment.  
"You need a ship, don't you?" She asked, pointing at her Nabooian cruiser outside on the landing pad. Master Kenobi sighed.  
"Alright," he agreed. "But you have to wait on the ship until I say it's safe. That goes for you too, Rehnna," he looked at me. I nodded.  
"Deal," I replied. Senator Amidala smiled.  
"He went to Mustafar," she informed us. "Something about 'eliminating the Separatists'," Master Kenobi nodded.  
"Let's get going, shall we?" We all stood up and walked out to the large ship waiting for us.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

We were on our way to the volcanic planet of Mustafar. Master Kenobi was piloting while I sat quietly in the copilot's seat. Senator Amidala had gone to one of the back rooms of the ship to lay down. I noticed her swollen abdomen, but didn't say anything about it.  
"She's pregnant," Master Kenobi broke the silence. I looked at him.  
"That's what I thought," I replied. He nodded. "Where's her husband?" I asked.  
"There isn't one," he told me. I tilted my head. "Padme never married, at least not openly. It was most likely a closed ceremony," he observed. I shrugged.  
"Maybe she just wanted privacy," I said. Master Kenobi shook his head.  
"I don't think so," he responded. "I think she knew she wasn't supposed to marry him, but did anyways and kept it a secret." He said.  
"I thought you said she was one of the decent senators?" I reminded him. He shrugged.  
"She is," he said. "But love can make you do a lot of things that you normally wouldn't consider." I was quiet for a moment.  
"You're speaking from experience, aren't you, Master Kenobi?" I asked him. He smirked.  
"Obi-Wan," he corrected. "And yes, I am speaking from experience," he confirmed.  
"Who was it?" I asked. "That is, if you don't mind me asking," I added quickly. I wanted to know purely out of curiosity; the council always said Obi-Wan was "the perfect Jedi". But I want to know who made this "perfect Jedi" go against the code and personally thank them.  
"Siri Tachi," Obi-Wan said. "One of my age mates." Master Tachi was dead; looks like I can't thank her.  
"I'm sorry," I told him. He smiled.  
"Don't worry about it," the Jedi Master told me. We were silent for a few minutes.  
"Do you..." I trailed off. He glanced at me, waiting for me to finish my question. "Do you think that Anakin is the father of Senator Amidala's child?" I asked. I was expecting him to get upset. I was asking if the child he raised went against the code. But, to my surprise, Obi-Wan nodded.  
"Yes," he said. "That's exactly who I think it is. He and Padme were-are- very close. I knew there was something between them since the beginning of the war, but I trusted Anakin not to go against the code." He explained. "But I can't say I'm surprised or upset; I was the same way once too." I nodded.  
"Maybe all Jedi go through it?" I asked. He shrugged.  
"Probably," he said. "What a lot of people don't realize is Jedi are still people." He said. I nodded; most citizens treated us differently out of either fear or respect.  
"We're here," he told me, changing the subject. I looked at the ash-covered surface below. "Go wake up the senator," Obi-Wan commanded. I stood up and walked to the back room.  
The senator was asleep on the small bed secured into the wall. She was laying on her back with her hands resting just above her stomach. She had changed into a light brown top and black pants. Her long brown hair was neatly braided in the back and rested on her left shoulder. Bending down, I gently shook her shoulder.  
"Senator," I said as she began to stir. "We've arrived on Mustafar." I informed. She nodded, rubbing her eyes.  
"Thank you," she told me. I nodded and left the room.  
"She's awake," I told Obi-Wan. He was standing up now, waiting for us.  
"Alright," he said. He turned towards the window and motioned for me to come forward. "That's Anakin's ship," he pointed to the small gray and gold starfighter next to us. There was a small blue astromech droid standing nearby. I saw a figure standing on a nearby balcony.  
"There he is," I pointed to the figure. Obi-Wan frowned.  
"Wait here," he said. Padme had walked up behind me as he ran out.  
"He's up there," I pointed to Anakin, who was moving now that he saw his former master on the landing platform. "Obi-Wan will let us know when we can come out." I informed her. She only nodded, not taking her eyes off of her husband.  
Anakin made it down to Obi-Wan quickly. So far, their lightsabers were clipped to their belts. I saw Obi-Wan making hand motions as Anakin responded. They were having a discussion, walking in a circle. Whatever Obi-Wan was saying, it was upsetting Anakin.  
All of a sudden, Anakin activated his lightsaber and charged at Obi-Wan. But the Jedi master didn't activated his own lightsaber. Instead, he grabbed Anakin's left wrist and pushed his right arm back, redirecting the lightsaber blade to the side.  
"We need to go out there," Padme said. I grabbed her arm as she took a step.  
"No," I told her. "You'll only upset him even more; he'll think you're against him." I reasoned.  
"But Obi-Wan-" she started.  
"Can take care of this," I interrupted. "He can take care of Anakin and himself; have a little faith."  
"But what if he can't?" She asked me.  
"That's where I come in," I told her. "Besides, you're in no condition to be out there. Think of your child's health; inhaling ash won't help it." I reminded her. She sighed and nodded.  
"You're right," she agreed. We continued watching from the window.  
Obi-Wan and Anakin were both still on their feet, but Anakin's lightsaber was no longer in his hand. Instead, the two of them were in a fight of pure strength; a fight Obi-Wan could overpower Anakin in. The Jedi master was stronger, but his former padawan was quicker, dealing out a couple quick kicks to Obi-Wan's gut. He almost doubled over, but regained his posture and punched Anakin's jaw, stunning him.  
Obi-Wan took the chance and twisted Anakin's arm. he forced the struggling knight to his knees while Obi-Wan stayed standing. Anakin flipped Obi-Wan over him. the older Jedi was sprawled on his back. but he managed to get up before Anakin could land another blow. They were on their knees and I saw what Obi-Wan was trying to do: he was going to force Anakin to his back and cut off his airways until he fell unconscious.  
And that's exactly what Obi-Wan did. He was able to get Anakin on his back and a hand around his neck. I couldn't see Anakin's head, but he was kicking his legs, struggling to release Obi-Wan's grasp. About a minute later, the Jedi knight went limp. Obi-Wan released his grip and leaned back.  
"I'm gonna go help him; stay here." I told Padme. She nodded and continued to watch from the window.  
The heat from the lava wrapped around me while ash fell from the sky. I walked over to Obi-Wan and helped him lift Anakin into his arms.  
"This was easier when he was younger," he groaned. I chuckled and we headed back to the ship. Padme met us at the top of the ramp.  
"Is he alright?" She asked. Obi-Wan nodded as we followed him to the back room.  
"He's fine, just unconscious," He said. "Do you have any restraints?" He asked. Padme shook her head.  
"No," she replied.  
"Rehnna, stay back here with me; he'll be up soon and I'll need your help. Padme, get us back to Coruscant; your apartment." She nodded and left us in the small room.  
"So what do we do with him now?" I asked. Obi-Wan shrugged.  
"We take him back and discuss the matter with Master Yoda." He replied. I nodded.  
"What about the senator?" I asked. "We can't leave her alone," I reminded him. He nodded.  
"I know," he said. "She'll stay with us if she likes; she might be able to help Anakin." I nodded as Anakin began to stir. "Take all of our lightsabers out of the room." He commanded, giving me the two metal cylinders. I took them and walked back to the front of the ship.  
"Keep these away from Anakin," I told Padme, placing my lightsaber next to the other two. She nodded and continued piloting. I walked back to the room and heard struggling.  
I opened the door and saw Obi-Wan holding Anakin's arms, trying to stop him from getting up. I ran over and helped hold him down.  
"Anakin," Obi-Wan said, frustrated. "Stop fighting; no one is going to hurt you." He tried to calm his former padawan.  
"Why is he like this?" I asked, trying to pin his arms to his chest.  
"It's the darkness plaguing his mind; he's not in complete control of himself." Obi-Wan explained. We struggled with Anakin for what seemed like almost and hour before he finally exhausted himslef and drifted off. Padme came in shortly after, clutching her stomach.  
"Padme?" I asked. "What's wrong?" She looked like she was in pain.  
"The child," she gasped out. "He's coming." Obi-Wan and I glanced at each other.  
"I'll get us to the nearest hospital," he said, standing up. I helped Padme sit in a nearby chair. I had a basic idea of what to do; I had volunteered in the healer's ward to deliver the children of mothers that didn't have time to get to a hospital.  
"Deep breaths," I instructed, holding out my hand for her to clutch. She did as I said, squeezing my hand. She cried out in pain from the contractions from time to time, but other than that, she was doing fine.  
Anakin had woke up at some point. He shot up and looked around. I stood up, prepared for him to attack. But, to my surprise, his gold eyes returned to their normal blue when he spotted Padme.  
"Padme!" He cried, stumbling over to us. Cautiously, I stood out of the way and allowed him to kneel next to his wife; I was certain now they were married.  
"Ani!" She cried tears of joy, kissing his head. I decided now was a good time for me to leave and check up on Obi-Wan. I allowed the couple to be alone for a few minutes. I quietly slipped out of the room and shut the door behind me.  
"Obi-Wan!" I called. "You'll never believe this!" I told him. He glanced back at me.  
"Why? What happened? Is Padme alright?" He asked quickly. I nodded.  
"Yeah everything's fine," I answered. "But Anakin's back." He looked at me.  
"What do you mean 'Anakin's back'?" He asked.  
"I mean he isn't Sith anymore!" I said excitedly. "He saw Padme in pain and his eyes turned blue again. He's with her right now and he's worried sick about her." I quickly explained. Obi-Wan's eyes grew wide.  
"You mean...but how did-" he started.  
"I don't know!" I said. "But he's back! Isn't that enough?" I asked. Obi-Wan sighed.  
"I need to see him for myself," he stated. I shook my head.  
"Not right now," I said. "Let him worry about Padme for now." Obi-Wan nodded and returned his focus back to the controls.  
"We're arriving on Raxus Prime," he said. "I've already alerted Senator Organa of the situation; they'll be ready for Padme." I nodded, taking the copilot's seat. I assisted him in landing the cruiser. Medical teams and the senator were waiting for us on the landing pad.  
"Let's get moving," I said. "Padme has ten minutes, tops."

* * *

Two hours later, Obi-Wan, Master Yoda, Adin, Eoin, senator Organa, the younglings, and I were all waiting outside the delivery room. The Alderaanian senator had arranged a transport to get the rest of my group here quickly. I could hear Padme screaming in pain; Obi-Wan was pacing back and forth, though I'm not sure if he was worried about Padme or Anakin.

"Obi-Wan," Senator Organa spoke up. "You're making the rest of us nervous too; stand still." Obi-Wan stopped and smiled apologetically.  
"Sorry," he said. "Just worried," Senator Organa smiled and patted his shoulder.  
"We all are, my friend," he agreed. The medical droid that had been with the young couple in the delivery room wheeled itself out to us.  
"How is she?" Senator Organa asked the droid.  
"The senator and her family are doing well. They had twins; a boy and a girl." We all breathed a sigh of relief.  
"Send her husband out here, will you?" Master Yoda asked the droid. But Obi-Wan cut off the droid's answer.  
"No," he said. "Let Anakin have some time with his family." Master Yoda didn't look too pleased, but didn't press the issue. The droid went back into the room, leaving us in the waiting area.  
"What will become of Anakin?" I asked the masters. "Will he stand trial?"  
"Stand trial, he will not," Master Yoda said. "Guilty, he is, of murdering many people. Imprisoned, he will be." Obi-Wan decided he had enough.  
"So that's it then," he said. "I would say he deserves a trial, but you would still force him to be imprisoned, possibly executed." I could tell he was frustrated.  
"I have an idea," I piped up, not wanting this to turn into a full-out argument. "Why don't you let Master Kenobi and I watch over him? The two of us can handle him, and Senator Amidala and the twins would be there to help stop him if he gets out of control." I reasoned. Master Yoda shook his head.  
"Provide justice, that does not," he said.  
"If we imprison him, then Sidious could get a hold of him again," Obi-Wan spoke up. "He would turn Anakin against us again. Letting him be with his family is the only way we prevent that." I was thankful Obi-Wan was on my side; I didn't want to face him in an argument. Master Yoda sighed.  
"Monitored at all times, he will be," he finally agreed to our idea. "But if a danger, he becomes, imprisoned, he will be." We nodded, understanding the terms.  
"Then it's settled," Adin finally chimed in.  
"Yes," Master Yoda agreed. "But go into exile, we all still must," he reminded. "To Dagobah, I will go," he stated.  
"I can help some of you on Alderaan," Senator Organa offered. Adin nodded.  
"I think we'll take your offer," Eoin told him.  
"I'll talk to Anakin and Padme, but I have a feeling we'll end up on Naboo," Obi-Wan said.  
"Master Yoda, Obi-Wan, can I speak with the two of you for a moment?" Senator Organ asked. The two masters nodded and followed him down the hallway, leaving me with Eoin, Adin, and the younglings.  
"So," I started, picking Insontis up. "What did you do while I was gone?" I asked. Eoin shrugged.  
"We continued hiding on Coruscant," he said. "But Dexter Jester helped us find a place in the upper city." I tilted my head.  
"How did you manage that?" I asked. Adin smiled.  
"We told him we were friends of Obi-Wan's," he said. I chuckled.  
"Rehnna?" Qessal spoke up. "Why won't you come with us?" He asked. I thought for a moment.  
"Because I'm needed elsewhere," I responded. "But I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other again soon." I told him. He smiled and nodded. I placed Insontis back on the ground.  
"We should get going," Adin said. I nodded.  
"Yeah," I said. "You three, listen up," I said, placing Insontis on her feet and kneeling down in front of them. "Behave for Adin and Eoin; they will take care of you." They nodded. Insontis was the first one to hug me; the boys followed her example. I held them close for a minute before letting go. They moved aside as Eoin and Adin walked forward.  
"Take care of them and yourselves," I told them, giving each of them a hug.  
"We'll see you soon," Eoin told me. I nodded and stood back, watching the five of them walk away.


	5. Chapter Four

**Sorry for the long wait, but we're back now with chapter four! As always, reviews are welcomed and encouraged! Thank you!**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Finally, Obi-Wan came back, but Senator Organa and Master Yoda were not with him.  
"The Senator apologizes for leaving without saying goodbye, but he must get Master Yoda to safety," Obi-Wan told me. I nodded. "Where did your group go?" He asked.  
"They had to leave too; Senator Organa is probably helping them get to Alderaan." I told him. "Do you really think going to Naboo is a good idea? Eoin and I had talked about it and we thought it was under Palpatine's control," I said. Obi-Wan smirked.  
"And what better way to hide then right under their noses? He asked. I thought for a moment.  
"Do you think Senator Amidala's family is alright?" I asked. Obi-Wan shook his head.  
"No," he said. "I would assume the clones took them in for questioning; Padme did disappear on short notice. Palpatine knows it's not like her do do that," he explained.  
"So what do we do?" I asked. He shrugged.  
"We get them back," he stated simply.  
"What about Anakin? Will we leave him alone with Padme or bring him with us into Sith territory?" I asked. Obi-Wan was silent for a moment, stroking his beard.  
"I'll take him with me," he decided. "I have a feeling I will need him." I nodded, choosing not to question his sanity. "But you will stay and guard Padme." I tilted my head, questioning his decision.  
"You're sure you can handle it?" I asked. He smiled and nodded.  
"Don't worry, Rehnna," he said. "I have been into Sith territory before; I'll just have to keep an eye on Anakin." The pull of the dark side would be very strong. It could tempt Anakin to stray from us again.  
"Alright," while I didn't completely agree with him, I knew there wasn't a point in arguing; he'd win. We were only outside for a few more minutes before the door of the delivery room opened.  
Anakin finally appeared, holding a small pink bundle in his arms. The droid was behind him, carrying a similar bundle with a blue blanket. I couldn't even begin to describe the joy on Anakin's face as his signature was filled with nothing but the brightest light.  
"Hey," he greeted, walking up to us. I could tell Obi-Wan was watching him carefully, uncertain as to whether or not he was going to try something. I sincerely doubted it though; he was holding the bundle in his arms.  
"Anakin," Obi-Wan nodded. I could feel the tension in the small waiting area.  
"This is uh, Leia; my daughter," he Anakin stumbled. "And that's Luke; my son." He nodded over to the bundle in the droid's arms. Obi-Wan smiled slightly.  
"Congratulations," he told his former padawan. "I'm happy for you." The tension was slowly, but surely, releasing.  
Anakin finally turned to me. "I don't believe we've met before," he said. I nodded.  
"You're right, we haven't," I confirmed. "My name is Rehnna Kale. I'm a Jedi Knight. Or at least, I was." Anakin nodded.  
"I'll take it you've been helping this old hermit, haven't you?" He looked back at Obi-Wan when he said "old hermit". I chuckled as Obi-Wan frowned.  
"Looks like we'll be having a long chat about respecting your elders as well," he commented. Finally, the rest of the tension was released. Thank the Force, I thought.  
"Uh, do either of you...want to hold the twins?" Anakin asked awkwardly. Obi-Wan smiled and nodded. Gently, Anakin passed over the baby girl to his former master.  
"She's lighter than I'd thought she be," Obi-Wan observed. Anakin nodded.  
"They're both a little small," he agreed. "But they were also born a week early." I nodded, understanding that premature babies were typically smaller than most other newborns. Anakin turned back to the droid and carefully transferred Luke into his arms. the droid went back into the delivery room. "Would you like to hold him?" The new father asked me. I smiled and took the blue bundle into my arms.  
Luke appeared to be a bit larger than his sister. His bright blue eyes stared into my green ones. He already had little wisps of dark blonde hair on his head. He was smiling, but looked half asleep.

* * *

After a few minutes of standing out there with Anakin, the droid finally came back.  
"Senator Amidala is doing well, but she must rest," he reported. We nodded. "The children should rest as well." I saw another droid appear behind the first. Obi-Wan and I placed the small children in their arms and watched as they wheeled away.  
"Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "I need to speak with you." Anakin nodded and followed the older Jedi down the hallway, leaving me alone in the waiting area.

* * *

Obi-Wan POV  
"Anakin," I started, but he held up his hand to stop me.  
"I know what you're going to say," he told me. "And I know I've really screwed up and I've hurt and killed a lot of people. I don't know if this will mean anything to you, but I'm sorry." I was silent for a few moments, unsure of what to say.  
"What happened in Chancellor Palpatine's office?" I asked him. Master Yoda had told me what he thought, but I wanted to hear it from Anakin.  
"I was foolish," he started. "Master Windu told me to stay in the council chambers and wait for him and the others with him to return. I disobeyed because Palpatine had told me he knew a way to save Padme. I had been having visions about her death, like the ones I used to have about my mother. He said he knew a way to save her and he would teach me. I had figured out by then he was the Sith Lord. But I didn't care; I just needed a way to save Padme." He took a deep breath. "I walked into the room and I saw Palpatine laying on the windowsill with Master Windu standing over him. I knew I should've stayed out of it...but I couldn't. I loved Padme too much and I was too concerned about her to use common sense. I'm sorry. I've failed you. I've failed the entire Jedi Order and the Republic." He sighed. " don't deserve to be alive," he admitted. I was silent for a few moments.  
"No, you don't," I agreed. "But since you are, you can spend the rest of your life doing good to make up for what you've done. I won't lie to you: you'll carry the guilt for the rest of your life. But that doesn't mean you should give up on trying." I told him. He looked at me and smiled.  
"Thanks," he said. I patted his shoulder.  
"Now come on; we left poor Rehnna all on her own." He chuckled and followed me back to the waiting room.  
"How did you meet up with her anyways?" He asked. I sighed and shook my head.  
"It's a long story..."  
Rehnna POV  
After I had paced around the waiting area, staring at the blank, white walls and tiled floor, Obi-Wan and Anakin finally decided to come back. Both of them seem more relaxed, and I was thankful for that.  
"How's Padme?" Anakin asked once they reached me. I smiled at his concern.  
"She's fine; she's resting." The droid had come back a little while ago and informed me of the senator's condition. Anakin nodded.  
"Good," he said. "Were you told when we can see her?" He asked. I nodded.  
"Give her an hour to rest. Then they'll let us in." I repeated the information. They nodded.  
"In the meantime, can we get something to eat?" Anakin asked. I finally noticed the low growling in my stomach and crossed my arms over it. The older master noticed and chuckled.  
"I think that's a good idea," he agreed. I followed them down to the small cafeteria in the hospital.


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

After spending two days at the hospital, Padme and the twins were finally allowed to leave with us. Obi-Wan, Anakin, and I had been staying in the room with Padme, but we were all ready to leave. The twins were in their new carrier Obi-Wan and I had bought for them.

"Are we all set then?" Anakin asked. I took one last look around the room and nodded. "Then let's get going," Obi-Wan lead the way out of the hospital and to Padme's ship. He and Anakin took the controls while Padme and I sat behind with the twins. Within a minute, we were off the ground and flying towards Naboo; it was only a couple hours away.

"So what are we going to do when we get to Naboo? Do we now of anywhere to stay?" I asked. Padme nodded.

"There's a lake retreat outside of the city. It's fairly isolated and tough to find." She told me.

"Doesn't Palpatine know where it is?" Anakin asked. Padme shook her head.

"No," she replied. "The only ones that know is my family; if they haven't been captured, then that's where they'd go."

"Is there enough room for all if us?" Obi-Wan asked. The senator nodded.

"More than enough," she said. "But we will need to get things for the twins. And that would require going into town..." She trailed off, knowing that she, Anakin, and Obi-Wan would be recognized. But maybe I wouldn't be.

"Let me take care of that," I offered. Obi-Wan glanced back at me.

"You're sure? You know you could be recognized," he reminded me. I nodded.

"But not as well as you or Anakin or Padme would be. I was a padawan during the war; they don't recognize many of us." I pointed out. He sighed.

"I don't like it, but she's right," Anakin chimed in. "We'll give you the credits, but you'll have to move fast." I nodded.

"Just write down what you need; I'll get it," I promised. Padme stood up and walked to the back of the ship. She was only gone for a minute before returning with a small notepad and pen. She quickly wrote down a few things and handed it to me. I looked it over and nodded.

"We should be fine with this," she said.

"I can do that, no problem." I told her. She smiled and sat back down.

"Thank you," she said. We sat in silence for the rest of the trip, thinking about what's ahead.

Finally, we arrived on Naboo. I unbuckle my seatbelt and walked up to the pilot's chair to look at the beautiful planet. The lakes and rivers were a shimmering blue while the vegetation was the darkest shade of green I had ever witnessed; not even the temple gardens were this healthy. Off in the distance, pale colored towers stood over the landscape. One tower was taller than the rest with a green dome-shaped roof.

"That's the Capitol," Padme informed me. She stood next to me, admiring the view as I had been.

"It's absolutely beautiful," I told her, smiling. She grinned in response.

"It is," she agreed. "Even after so many years, its beauty still amazes me." She said.

"We'll land just outside of town. Rehnna, go into town and get what we need for the twins; we'll wait here for you." Obi-Wan instructed as he and Anakin found a place in the forest to set the ship down. Padme handed me a small brown bag tied with a gold string.

"I'll be back shortly," I told them. The ramp was lowered and I took off, pulling my brown hood over my face and wrapping the cloak tighter around me.

Once I reached the town center, I read through the list. Okay, formula, I read the first item. Where would I find you? I walked past several shops, looking into the large glass windows. So far, I had no luck. Keep looking, Rehn; there's gotta be something. Eventually, I found a shop at the end of the street. It was an infant's store. Jackpot, I thought, opening the door and pulling down my hood.

A bell went off, alerting the clerk at the counter. He turned to me and smiled. He was an older gentleman; around the age of fifty or so. He had fraying hair and kind eyes.

"Hello there," he greeted. "What can I do for you?" He asked.

"I'm looking for these things," I said, handing him the list. He looked it over and smiled.

"More than one child to take care of, eh?" He asked, chuckling. I smiled slightly and nodded.

"Yeah," I confirmed. "They're my...ah...brother's children; twins," I didn't know what else to tell him that wouldn't give us away. But the man seemed to accept my story.

"We'll then, you've come to the right place. I'll gather what you need and be back momentarily." He said, walking towards the racks nearby.

About ten minutes later, I had everything we needed and was walking back towards the ship. The clothes, formulas, toys, and several other things were in bags and two collapsible cribs were ticked under my arm. The load was somewhat heavy, but I've had worse. I pulled my hood back over my head. Though, surprisingly, there weren't any troops around.

I was about halfway to the ship when a man ran into me. I was caught off balance by the things I was carrying and fell, dropping the bags and the cribs.

"Hey!" I said, picking myself up. "Watch where you're going," I started picking up the bags and adjusting the cribs under my arm again. The man stood up. He was a middle-aged Togrutan with white markings and dark orange skin.

"Terribly sorry about that," he said, picking up my last bag. Apparently I hadn't kept my lightsaber covered, because he spotted it. "You're a Jedi?" He asked. I froze.

"What makes you say that?" I asked, taking the bag from him.

"I just saw you're lightsaber. How did you escape the temple?" He said. I sighed, not wanting to get into this.

"Look, I don't have time for this. So if you're gonna turn me in, then go ahead; I'll be long gone by the time you get the authorities over here." I told him. He gave me a stunned expression and shook his head.

"No! Never!" He replied. "Look, my daughter is a Jedi; I'm looking for her," he explained. I narrowed my eyes.

"What's her name?" I asked.

"Ahsoka Tano," he replied. I was silent for a minute, trying to sense any deception. After a minute of searching, I decided he was telling the truth.

"Alright," I said. "Follow me, but keep your voice down; don't need the police on our tail." He nodded and offered to help me with the bags. I accepted and handed him the cribs and a bag. We headed back to the ship.

As soon as he saw us, Obi-Wan came down the ramp, lightsaber in hand. He walked up to us. I didn't give him a chance to ask before I said, "What happened to Ahsoka at the temple?" He gave me an odd look.

"What do you mean? She wasn't even at the temple," he replied. "Who's this?" He asked.

"Ahsoka's father," I said quickly. "Where was she then?" I asked. Obi-Wan was silent for a moment.

"I believe she was on Dagobah," he said. "She was following a bounty hunter; it was her first real mission alone since rescuing the chancellor and going after Dooku was too dangerous for a padawan." He told me. I nodded.

"We don't know what happened to her?" I asked. Obi-Wan shook his head. After a few seconds, his eyes widened.

"She doesn't know," he said. I tilted my head.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"She was alone on Dagobah; no clones, no Separatists. It was only her and the bounty hunter." He explained.

"Do you think she went back to the temple?" I asked. Obi-Wan shook his head.

"We would have sensed her. Even if she was dead, I would have sensed that her presence was there at some point; a trail. But there was nothing to indicate she ever went back." He said.

"Then we need to get to Dagobah," I decided.

"Hang on Rehnna," he told me. "Don't rush into this," he warned me. "I know you want to save her, but we only have one ship and Dagobah and Korriban on opposite sides of the galaxy." I shook my head, not believing what I was hearing from him.

"Don't you care about Ahsoka at all? The Sith can wait; a lone Jedi can't." I countered.

"If we destroy the Sith and their empire now, then it'll be safer for everyone." He told me. I sighed. "Look, I don't like leaving her any more than you do, but there are larger things at stake." He said. I nodded, understanding his view, though I may not entirely agree with him.

"Fine," I said, knowing I had lost. He nodded and turned to Ahsoka's father, who had quietly observed our argument.

"I'm sorry, Mister Tano; we will bring Ahsoka back, but we have something that needs to be done first." Obi-Wan said to the Togruta.

"I should have known better than to trust Jedi; you're all the same. You're too caught up in your own war to realize what it does to the rest of us. I'll bring her back myself. And I will not allow her to join your crusade. Good bye, Master Jedi." And with that, he walked away. I looked down in shame. Obi-Wan patted my shoulder sympathetically.

"Let's get these things on board." I nodded and helped pick up the things the Togrutan had dropped. Once we gathered everything, I followed Obi-Wan back to the ship.


	7. Chapter Six

**Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews!**

**Chapter Six**

Shortly after the encounter with Ahsoka's father, we had landed in front of the lake retreat Padme had told us about. Obi-Wan and Anakin walked out first, carrying the things we had bought for the twins. Padme was behind them with the twins, who had been asleep for a couple hours, fastened in their carrier. I was the last one out, still admiring the beauty of this planet.

The lake retreat was probably the largest house I had ever seen. It was basically a mansion. The outer walls were painted a golden-tan color with some plants hanging off of it. Several large, glass windows provided a view of the outside from pretty much anywhere in the house. It was two stories high with a tall, brown, gabled roof. There was a part of the house that was farther forward with a half-circle shape to it.

Around the house, there was a large garden with several different plant species I had never seen before. There was a lake nearby with clear, blue water that sparkled when the sun's rays hit the surface. There was a small island in the middle of the lake. The land was completely surrounded by a forest, easily concealing the house.

"Wow," I whispered. Padme looked over her shoulder at me and smiled.

"I know," she said. "I had the same reaction the first time I saw it." Gently pulling on the sleeve of my torn, dirt and ash covered robes, she turned and continued walking towards the house. I followed her after a few moments, pushing tangled, black locks of hair that had fallen out of my tie. Okay, things to do. I started off my mental list, a trick Aria had taught me to keep myself in check. Take a shower, wash and sew robes, brush hair, get food, I listed off in my mind.

The inside of the house was larger than it looked from the outside. The front door leads right into the living room, with several large couches and a fireplace. There was a spiral staircase that leads to the second floor. On the other side of the staircase was the kitchen. There was a large refrigerator, cabinets, a stove, and a sink. To the right of the kitchen was what looked like a dining room with a long table that could sit about eight people.

"Rehnna," Obi-Wan called from upstairs. "Come up here," I walked up the stairs to the Jedi Master and his former padawan.

"Five of these doors are bedrooms; the other two are bathrooms. There's one master bedroom that Padme and I will take. The smallest room is for the twins right next door to us. You need to pick a room for yourself." Anakin told me, pointing to the last three bedrooms. I glanced at Obi-Wan.

"I haven't chosen a room yet; I will after you." He told me. I nodded and chose the second to last door on the left side. Anakin nodded.

"Alright," he said. "The last door is a bathroom. Why don't you go freshen up and I'll have Padme lend you some clothes." He said. I nodded and walked back to my new room.

"Choose a room, old man," I heard Anakin say. His comment was quickly followed by a soft thump. "Ow! What was that for?" He asked. I shook my head and chuckled.

Twenty minutes later, I stepped out of the shower. After drying off with a nearby towel, I wrapped it around myself and walked through the door that connected my room to the bathroom.

As Anakin said, Padme had set some clothes on the bed for me. I put them on and looked at myself in the mirror.

The outfit was simple, but still very nice. I had a red, long-sleeved top. The bottom of the shirt was uneven; the right side came to my waist and it increased in length across my mid-section until the left side was halfway down my thigh. The sleeves were cut open at the top and tied together at the ends. Padme had given me a pair of tight black pants to wear as well. At the foot of the bed were my brown boots, good as new. My Jedi robes were still on the bathroom floor.

I used the towel to dry my hair and walked back to the bathroom. I hung the towel back up and brushed my hair out with a comb sitting on the sink. Once I was satisfied, I picked up my robes and walked back downstairs.

Apparently I was the last one down there. Padme, Anakin, and Obi-Wan were sitting in the living room. Anakin was holding Luke, who was reaching for the bottle his father held for him. Leia was in Obi-Wan's arms, doing the same while Padme helped the poor master with holding the small girl. I stood at the top of the stairs and leaned on the railing, watching for a few moments, chuckling. Obi-Wan must've heard me because he looked up.

"This isn't funny," he told me.

"Yeah, it is," Anakin chimed in, earning a glare from his friend. Padme rolled her eyes.

"Hey Rehnna," she called up to me. "Do you know how to cook?" She asked. I shrugged.

"A little, yeah," I replied. Aria had taught me when I was younger, but I forgot half of what she said.

"Would you help me cook dinner?" She asked. I smiled and nodded.

"Of course," I replied, walking down the stairs and following her into the kitchen. "Hey Obi-Wan," I called to the master sitting awkwardly with a baby in his arms.

"Yes?" He asked, looking up at me.

"Watch her head; it needs to be supported," I informed him. He nodded and readjusted his arm under Leia's head. Once he was properly holding the girl, I continued walking towards the kitchen.

Soon enough, Padme and I had managed to cook a decent meal with a different type of meat; I had forgotten what she called it. We called the two older Jedi into the dining room. They went to place the twins in their cribs and joined us at the table.

"Looks good," Anakin said, sitting at one end of the table, across from Padme. Obi-Wan sat on Anakin's left towards the middle of the table and I sat across from him.

We talked throughout dinner and I noted how delicious the new food was. I'll have to remember this in the future, I thought to myself.

Once we finished, Anakin and Obi-Wan offered to take the plates while Padme and I walked upstairs to the twins; one of which was crying. Don't these guys ever sleep? I asked myself.

When we walked into the nursery, Padme walked over to Luke while I walked to the other side of the room for Leia. She was fairly calm in her crib; she wasn't crying like her brother, but she was looking up at me with wide brown eyes. She had her fingers in her mouth and was drooling. Smiling, I gently picked her up and cradled her in my arms. She smiled and giggled, clearly enjoying herself. Softly, I hummed a tune that I had heard when I was young. The newborn's eyes started to close; she was falling asleep. Eventually, Leia's eyes were too heavy and they closed completely. After a few more minutes, I placed her back in her crib.

"You seem to have quite a talent," I heard Padme remark. I turned to look at her; I had completely forgotten that she was there. She had gotten Luke to calm down and go back to sleep; he was out cold in her arms. The senator turned and placed her son back in his crib. When she turned back to me, I just shrugged.

"I spent a lot of time in the crèche," I stated simply. She smiled.

"Regardless, I do appreciate the help. Thank you," she said. I nodded.

"Anytime," I replied. We walked out of the nursery and back downstairs.

Anakin and Obi-Wan were sitting across from each other, speaking in hushed tones. They both looked up and stood as Padme and I came down the staircase.

"What's going on?" Padme asked, suspicious. Anakin sighed.

"Obi-Wan wants me to go to Korriban with him," he said. Padme looked over at Obi-Wan.

"I need his assistance; Rehnna is not experienced enough and I can't do this alone," he explained. Padme shook her head.

"No," she replied. "It's not safe for either one of you; especially Anakin," she said.

"I'm not worried about the Sith," Anakin told her. "I'm worried about turning again," he admitted. Padme looked confused.

"But... I thought with the twins and everything..." She stuttered. Obi-Wan shook his head.

"I'm afraid if he turns again then it'll take more than the twins to bring him back," he said.

"Do you have to go now? Can't you wait; teach Rehnna for a while then take her with you?" Padme offered. Anakin shook his head.

"No, this has to get done now," he said. Padme sighed, not seeing any other argument in this.

"Keep a close eye on him," she told Obi-Wan. The master nodded.

"I will, don't worry," he promised. Anakin chuckled.

"Don't tell her not to worry," he said. "She always does." Padme shrugged.

"It's part of the job," she replied.

"It's getting late," Obi-Wan observed. "We should probably get some sleep," he suggested. I nodded.

"When are you leaving?" Padme asked. Anakin looked back at Obi-Wan.

"Two days," the older Jedi said. "We'll stay tomorrow and leave the morning after. Rehnna will stay to help you with the twins." I nodded. Once everything was settled, we walked back upstairs for the night.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorite, or followed this story so far! You guys rock!**

**Chapter Seven**

I woke up long after the sun had risen. The rays had rudely interrupted my sleep by shining through the curtains and into my eyes. I turned away from the window and tried to go back to sleep. Of course, it didn't work. The chrono on my nightstand said it was past nine o'clock. Groaning, I stretched my arms above my head and rubbed my eyes. I slowly sat up and felt the bones in my back and neck cracking from stiffness. Yawning, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood. I walked over to the other side of my bed and opened the curtains, allowing the sunlight to come in. Looking at myself in the mirror, I decided I was not presentable. I picked up the clothes I had been wearing yesterday from the floor and placed them on my bed. I quickly changed out of the white nightgown Padme had given me last night and pulled on the red shirt and black pants. After straightening the tight clothes, I walked through the door connecting my room to the bathroom.

The hairbrush was exactly where I left it last night. I picked it up and started dragging it through my tangled hair. As I brushed it, I realized it had been almost three months since I had last cut it. _I should ask Padme about this mess; it's getting too long,_ I thought. I didn't like having my hair too long; it would be a distraction during battle. I had always kept it long enough to tie it back, but not long enough that it could catch on anything or anyone could grab it. Once I was satisfied, I left the bathroom and walked to the staircase.

The house was quiet; almost disturbingly so. No one else appeared to be awake. However, looking back at the rooms, I saw Anakin and Padme's door open. The Twins' door was closed, but the other two bedrooms were both open. I walked over to the rooms. One was neat, with the bed sheets arranged and nothing out of place. The other room didn't even have bed sheets on it. _Obi-Wan's gone too,_ I thought. _Maybe some one left me a note._ I walked downstairs and found a small white envelope on the coffee table next to one of the couches. It had my name written on it neatly. I opened it and read the letter inside.

_Rehnna,_

_I had to get some things from the market. Anakin and Obi-Wan are both awake and are probably sparring outside. Please make sure the twins are up by noon if I'm not home before then._

_Love,_

_Padme_

I folded the note and placed it back in its envelope. I walked out to the balcony and, sure enough, Anakin and Obi-Wan were sparring. Squinting from the sunlight, I could see their forms moving back and forth; two blue lights connecting with each other. One of them must have seen me, because they stopped and deactivated their lightsabers. I waited as the crossed the open area and walked up the stairs leading to the balcony.

"Morning," I greeted. Anakin smiled as Obi-Wan gave a slight nod.

"Morning," the younger Jedi replied. "I'll take it you slept well?" He asked. I nodded.

"Yeah," I replied. "I just woke up," he nodded.

"Well, Padme made breakfast for everyone before she left." Anakin told me. "Yours is still in the kitchen if you want it." I nodded in thanks and walked back into the house with them.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan spoke up. "We need to form a plan for tomorrow." He said. Anakin nodded.

"I have an idea," he glanced at me. "Tell you later," he said to his former master. I walked into the kitchen as they went upstairs.

* * *

After I had finished eating and cleaned up, I decided to get back into the habit of training. I went back upstairs to my room to grab my lightsaber off my dresser. When I walked passed Obi-Wan's room, I could hear what sounded like an argument. I bent down and listened with my ear pressed to the door. I knew I was eavesdropping, but I didn't care for some reason. I couldn't hear everything; just a few muffled words and shuffling. Obi-Wan is probably pacing again, I thought.

"...Don't want to worry her..." I heard Obi-Wan say. "...Truth, then she'll want to help..." He continued. I couldn't figure out if they were talking about me or Padme.

"...Won't want to stay with the twins..." Anakin said. I heard the shuffling stop.

"We'll talk about this later," Obi-Wan said clearly. I started standing up, but the door opened, throwing me off balance. I landed on my knees with one arm in front of me.

"Hello Rehnna," Obi-Wan greeted. He offered his hand to help me up. Brushing some of my hair out of my face, I took it and he lifted me to my feet.

"Eavesdropping, huh?" Anakin said. I looked down.

"Sorry masters," I apologized. Anakin nodded.

"It's alright," he said. "I would've done the same thing," he admitted. Obi-Wan shook his head.

"You still do," he reminded his former padawan. Anakin just shrugged. "How much of that conversation did you hear?" He asked, turning back to me.

"Only about not wanting to stay with the twins and wanting to help." I told them. "You were talking about me, weren't you?" I asked. Obi-Wan nodded.

"Yes, we were," he confirmed. I looked down.

"But now that you've heard as much, I don't see a reason to hide it," Anakin said, glancing at Obi-Wan. The older Jedi nodded.

"Yes, you've heard what we wanted to keep from you. We might as well come clean," he agreed.

"Basically, there's more on Korriban than what we lead you to believe," Anakin started. "Palpatine had called all his forces back to Coruscant." I thought for a second.

"Then why are we going to Korriban?" I asked. Obi-Wan shook his head.

"Anakin and I are going to Korriban to stop the Sith acolytes there while the clones aren't looking for us. There's an academy that is training young force users the ways of the dark side." He explained to me.

"I thought there was a rule of two for the Sith?" I asked. Anakin nodded.

"There is," he agreed. "But it looks like it hasn't been followed for a long time."

"Right," Obi-Wan said. "So we are going to Korriban to stop this academy."

"It's going to take more than just the two of you to take out an entire building full of Sith." I told them. Anakin nodded.

"We know," he replied. "We've been trying to get in contact with other Jedi, but so far there's been no response." I sighed. Things are never easy, are they? "We don't know where anyone is," Anakin said.

"Well, we do know where Ahsoka is..." Obi-Wan trailed off as Anakin shook his head.

"No," he said. "She's not getting involved in this." Obi-Wan sighed.

"Anakin," he started. "Be rational; we need all the help we can get. We will need both Rehnna and Ahsoka. Padme and the twins will be fine here; Palpatine isn't focused on them." He told the younger Jedi. Anakin was silent for a minute.

"Fine," he sighed. "You and I will go to Korriban to observe this academy. Rehnna can go to Dagobah and find Ahsoka. They'll meet us on Korriban. We'll see if we can find anyone else." He told us his plan. Obi-Wan nodded.

"Alright," he agreed.

"Wait," I chimed in. "We only have one ship," I reminded them. Anakin smirked.

"Leave that to me," he said. "I'll see if I can get at least one more. I'd like to leave that one for Padme in case she and the twins need to make an escape." Obi-Wan and I nodded.

"Then it's settled. Anakin, go get the ships. Rehnna, we must inform Padme of the change in plans." He instructed. I nodded and followed them out of the room.

* * *

"But didn't you say earlier that it was too dangerous for Rehnna? And now you want to bring her and Ahsoka into this? What exactly is going on?" Padme asked, sitting on the couch with Leia in her arms. I was sitting next to her with Luke while Obi-Wan sat across from us.

"Anakin and I can't handle this on our own. We need all the Jedi we can get. Unfortunately, that includes Rehnna and Ahsoka." Obi-Wan tried to explain. Padme shook her head.

"What about the other Jedi? Surely you can't be the only ones," she said. _We aren't,_ I thought, suddenly remembering Eoin and Adin.

"We're not!" I piped up, startling them.

"Who else is out there?" Padme asked me.

"Adin Fer and Eoin Josk both made it out of the temple with me, along with three younglings. Senator Organa took them to Alderaan." I told her.

"I've already contacted them. They're willing to help, but the younglings cannot accompany them." Obi-Wan told us.

"Could they stay here?" I asked. Padme sighed.

"I guess they could, but I want to do more than just staying here and watching them." She replied. Obi-Wan thought for a moment.

"I could contact Senator Organa. Perhaps there is something you could do from Alderaan?" He offered. Padme smiled.

"That could work," she agreed. I nodded.

"Alright, then it's settled. Rehnna, I'll have the ships by tomorrow. You're leaving for Dagobah as soon as I have them. Find Ahsoka and meet us on Korriban." He said to me. He stood to contact Senator Organa. The twins woke up and demanded attention from their mother. Handing over Luke, I stood from the couch. I left the Senator to her parental responsibilities and walked outside to the garden. _If I'm going against Sith, then I better work on my dueling skills,_ I thought to myself. Igniting my lightsaber, I set to work on my forms.


End file.
